Teenager jailed for selling £60,000 worth of fake Bestival tickets

Kieran Davey

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A teenager who admitted selling thousands of pounds worth of fake Bestival tickets has been jailed.

Benjamin Hyland-Ward, from Saltdean, left about 375 people disappointed after taking about £60,000 for tickets he failed to produce or provide a refund for.

The tickets were for the Bestival event on the Isle of Wight in September 2015.

Hyland Ward, 19, was charged with nine counts of fraud by false representation last year and pleaded guilty at Lewes Crown Court on December 12.

Appearing in the same court on Friday, he received a 21 month sentence in a young offender institution.

Investigator Amber Forshaw-Briant said: ‘This has been a long and complex investigation involving a large number of people and we’d like to thank those involved for their patience and assistance.

‘We would also like to take this opportunity to remind people about the risks involved by purchasing tickets through sources that aren’t reputable and that is the offer is too good to be true, the likelihood is that it is.’